Time may heal
by HamletRapedHoratio
Summary: Superman and Superboy finally sit down and talk about everything that has occured. All Superboy- Kon- wants is to be loved. And all Superman- Kal- wants is to find a way to love the boy back without thinking of his future being the grave for when the world finds him too much of a threat.


_**Sometimes the best things in life are free. Sure that phrase is over used and everybody and their cousins say it, but it really is one that speaks truth. Sometimes you really don't need expensive things or breathe taking experiences to be happy, sometimes you just need something small, something ordinary to make your day feel great. **_

Conner didn't really know what to expect when Black Canary told him he was going to be spending the day with Superman. He hadn't actually spent any time with him, and when he heard that it was just going to be the two of them he nearly died. He and Superman…alone? Could that actually be possible? He hated him; he utterly despised Superboy for just existing!

Just thinking about being alone with the other made Conner nervous. What if he made him mad? What if this was some elaborate scheme to get him killed? No one would suspect Superman of murdering his own clone, and that's why it made more sense for him to do it, he wouldn't be a suspect! Conner was sure his heart was going to explode as he walked through Mount Justice, heading for the transporter room. He was told he was going to be meeting Superman at Smallville, and that was it. He had no idea where Smallville was, and that made him even more nervous. Thought after thought of murder crept into his poor brain as he got closer and closer to the room, his hands in tight fists, his bottom lip almost bloody and raw from chewing on it. He was Superboy damnit, he shouldn't be this nervous!

"Easy Conner, easy. Nothing is going to happen; he just wants to spend time with you." Conner turned around quickly, eyes widening as he saw Robin directly above him, hanging upside down, legs wrapped around a water pipe. "I know your shocked, hell I was shocked when Batman told me. But if the man of steel is making an effort to see you; then I'd go."

"W-what are you doing up there?" Conner asked, changing the subject. The red and black boy smiled, letting go of the pipe and dropped down, flipping through the air, landing on the tip of his toes, bowing to a nonexistent crowd.

"I got bored and decided to do something fun, I wanted to see how long I could stay upside down."

"How long were you up there?"

"Well…" He looked at his wrist watch. "Five minutes and forty five seconds. Not bad."

"But…what if this is all a trick? What if he just wants to tell me to my face to drop dead or get lost…what if-"

"What if he just wants to apologize, what if he just wants to be your friend? Ever thought of that? Clark isn't a bad guy. Sure he can be almost as moody as Batman, but he does care, he may not show it but I know he worries about you, and I know if you give him the chance, he will warm up to you. You just have to let him. It took batman and I months before we became father and son." Robin crossed his arms.

Conner looked at the ground, his arms crossed and his left foot tapping slightly. Robin wouldn't steer him wrong. The Justice League might but certainly not Robin. "Fine….I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"If…if something happens, will you help me out?"

"You know I will." Conner nodded, looking both ways before giving Robin a hug, squeezing him tightly, not wanting anything to happen. "You'll be ok." Robin whispered in his ear. "You'll be ok." Robin ruffled the taller boy's hair the best he could, giving him a goofy smile. "Now go make friends with Superman, when you get back we can play some video games."

Again Conner nodded, leaving his teammate behind, walking through the door to the Transporter room, his stomach in knots….

+++Smallville+++

Conner found himself sitting across from his 'father' like figure, trying as hard as he could not to make eye contact. They had met at a small grocery store and from there they walked over to a small diner.

"You can look at me; I'm not going to yell at you." Clark finally broke the deafening silence, looking at his clone in the eye, for the first time not feeling any anger or sadness when he saw him.

"…" Connor just looked at him, sipping his coke nervously.

"How do you like the team?" Clark asked, resting his chin on his palm, slouching slightly, trying to look more relax. Conner copied him.

"It's going well. Had a hard time controlling my new ice breath but other than that its going well."

"…" Clark looked outside as the waitress brought them their pie, his mind working a mile a minute. "How about I teach you? We can go on the outskirts of town and I can show you few tricks. Would you like that?"

Baby blue eyes widened, his stone face breaking into a small smile "I would like that very much."

"Hey Conner?" A hint of nervousness entered Clark's voice as he stared at his pie, his brain already coming up with possible answers.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I hate you?" Just as the last word left Clarks mouth, the world seemed to stop. Conner looked up from his coke, unable to look at anyone but Clark, his heart seemed to stop beating, there was no sound, he was barely sure that he was still alive, he felt as if someone stuck a knife into him and twisted it sharply, he felt something he had never felt before. Sheer panic.

"…" He closed his mouth, fear that he would throw up what little food he had eaten. He gripped his fork so hard that it broke in half. "You… I think you hate me." Conner finally whispered, pushing the plate away, finally tearing his eyes away from Clark. "I should go…this was a bad idea."

"Super- Conner wait." Clark reached across the table quickly as Conner stood to stand. He squeezed his hand tightly but not painfully, something in his eyes begging the other to sit back down, to hear him out. "I don't hate you, I never did."

"Then why the hell did you ignore me? Why the fuck did you act like I was garbage? Why?" Large angry tears flowed down his face as he stared at him, squeezing Clarks hand painfully with each question asked. Clark was expecting this.

"Let's go somewhere private Conner." Clark pulled out his wallet and left a twenty on the table. The other shook his head. "Please Conner…"

"I hate you! I-I…I don't hate you…" He wanted to break something; he wanted to just scream till his voice gave out.

"Conner…Just follow me." Conner stopped resisting, he felt too numb to care. He got up, following Clark to the exit, not looking at anyone as they left, snatching his hand back as if burnt when they got outside.

"Tell me. Tell me right now! Do you hate me?" He finally demanded, grabbing Clark by the front of his shirt, the tears still flowing, his anger lessening from each second, being replaced by sheer sadness, from all the loneliness he had ever felt.

"No Conner, I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

"Then why did you ignore me? Why did you leave me all alone with them?" He threw a fist at him, and the other didn't even try and move, Clark just took the fist to the face, not even allowing himself to grunt in pain.

"How do you think I felt?" Clark finally demanded, making Conner step back, his brows furrowed. "How the hell would you react if you found out someone cloned you, someone made another person to take your place if you ever failed? They were waiting for me to fail; they were waiting to kill me off so they could have someone take my place! I'm not mad that you're here, I don't hate you, but if I can't take care of myself how the hell can I take care of you?"

"…"

"I just didn't want to get too close to you in case the Justice League thought I wouldn't be able to take care of you, I didn't want you to go through the same pain I did. I know I hurt you, and I know sorry is never enough but damnit Conner I want you to have a better life then I did! I want you to feel accepted and loved by your peers, not feared and judged. I could never show the world my true side, and for that I was bullied nearly half my life…please Conner…I don't hate you."

"All this time…you were trying to protect me…" Connors heart leapt in his throat when he saw the man of steel walking away. He ran to him, grabbing him from behind, holding onto him as if he would melt away. "Don't leave…please don't leave me again. You won't mess up. I'll learn everything you tell me, I'll control my powers, I'll be well behaved we can be what Batman and Robin have. Just don't leave me, please!"

"It will take time. I think both of us have a lot of talking to do and healing."

"I don't care!"

Clark turned around, just in time for the other to hug him, a small sad smile gracing his lips. "Conner."

"Are you going to leave?"

"No. I have too much to lose by doing so.." Awkwardly he ruffled the boys' hair, sighing mentally, he had a lot to learn about being a parent. If that was what he was going to call himself…one step at a time, one step at a time.

AN:

I don't believe that Superman is a bad person, in fact I think he is a very good person and how would you feel if you found out all this stuff? Id be F*cking freaking out.

Reviews are appreciated. Sorry if it wasn't very good!


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